A 38-year-old man,Diran Olawale, charged with theft of N700, 000, was on Thursday arraigned at an Osogbo Chief Magistrates’ Court in Osun.
Olawale, of no fixed address, is facing a three-count charge, including theft and unlawful conversion.
The Prosecutor, Insp. Rasak Olaiwola, told the court that the defendant committed the offences in April, 2011, at 3, Olobu St., Owo-Ope, Osogbo.
Olayiwola said the defendant converted N700,000 belonging to one Mr Abiola Adelakun, complainant in the matter, to his personal use.
He said the Olawale collected the money from the complainant on the pretext of helping him to secure an acre of land at Ota-Efun area of Osogbo.
The prosecutor said the defendant forged the land agreement documents to defraud the complainant.
He said the offences contravened Sections 419, 390 (9) and 467 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Vol. 11, Laws of Osun, 2003.
The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The defence counsel, Mr Kazeem Badmus, prayed the court to grant his client bail in the most liberal terms.
The Magistrate, Mrs Aishat Oloyade, granted the accused bail in the sum of N50, 000 and two sureties in like sum.
Oloyade ordered that the sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction, show evidence of tax payment and attach an affidavit of means to it.
She also directed that one of the sureties must be a civil servant on Grade Level 8 while the other must be a relation to the accused.
Source: The Nation